Collapsible vault.



L J. HARRINGTON, In.

COLLAPSIBLE VAULT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2.1913.

1,1 84,094. Patented May 23,1916.

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COLLAPSIBLE VAULT.

APPLICATION mzo JULY 2,1913.

I 1,184,094. Patented May 23,1916.

WILL EEEEE' W ([2 65 (17/0 /27? fag W W;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J'. HARRINGTON, JR., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COLLAPSIBLE VAULT.

Application filed July 2, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. HARRING- TON, J12, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Vaults; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a collapsible vault or strong boX whereby the same may be easily reduced in size when collapsed to permit positioning of the same within a room or within another receptacle from which the vault or box cannot be removed due to its size, unless in collapsed condition. Usually the door to a vault room is of relatively small size, thus permitting the placing therein of strong boxes of relatively small size and generally of a portable nature. Generally, when such vault rooms are burglarized the intruder does not trouble to break open the strong boxes therein but removes the same bodily from the vault room to open the same at his convenience.

This invention relates to a collapsible strong box or small vault which may be reduced in size by collapsing the same, and thereby placing within a storage vault room or other container from which it cannot be removed when in its assembled condition, due to its increased size.

It is a further object of this invention to construct a safety vault or box capable of being securely locked and adapted to be collapsed, such collapsing only being effected by a previous unlocking of the device.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a horizontal section taken through a storage vault room and illustrating a collapsible safety vault or strong box embodying my invention erected in assembled condition therein, the dimensions of said safety vault in erected condition being of such amplitude as to preclude removal of the safety vault from the storage room through the doorway thereof. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a safety vault in erected assembled position. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and illustrating in dotted lines the position of the side Walls when the device is in collapsing posi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Serial No. 776,929.

tion. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section take on line 4:& of Fig. 3. Fig. is an enlarged detail horizontal section taken through one of the hinged corners of the device. Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail illustrating the hinged connection in elevation. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section showing in detail the means of connecting the top and bottom members to one another from the in terior of the device. Fig. 8 is horizontal section taken through a corner of a modification illustrating interiitting tongue and groove means for slidably connecting the side walls together.

As shown in the drawings: 2-. storage room or vault for the reception of strong box filing cabinets or other protective receptacles is indicated by the reference numeral 1, and is provided with a usual steel door 2 for entrance thereinto. The side walls of a collapsible vault embodying the principles of my invention comprise outer steel plates 3, and inner steel plates 4, the intervening space therebetween being filled with an asbestos packing 5. A filler member 6, closes said space at the top and bottom thereof, and is provided with a plurality of inwardly directed lugs 7, adapted to bear against the inner surface of top and bottom steel plate members designated as 8, and 9, respectively. Said top and bottom members are each providedwith flanges 10, and 11, respectively, which engage over the outer surface of the outer wall plates 3, and a plurality of guide bar sections 12, secured on the inner surface of said top and bottom members at points intermediate the space occupied by the inwardly directed lugs 7, said section bar members 12, together with the respective flanges 10 and 11, serving to afford grooves to receive the top and bottom ends of said side walls therein, preventing movement thereof, when said side walls are associated with said top and bottom members.

Bolts 13, are inserted into and welded to each of the top and bottom members with the threaded portion thereof extending inwardly adapted to project through apertures in said lugs 7, of the side walls, and being tightly secured thereto from within the device by means of nuts 14-. Complemental hinge members 15, and 16, respectively, are secured between said plates 3, and 4, of said side walls along the side edges thereof by means of rivets 17, and are suitably connected together by a pintle bolt 18. A door 19, of any suitable construction and equipped with a lock, is provided in one of the side walls of the device, and inasmuch as the assembly or dismantling thereof for collapsing is effected from the interior of the device, it is obvious that such an operation is prevented unless the door 19, be unlocked and opened.

Fig. 7 illustrates a modified means for connecting the top and bottom members without positively connecting the same to the side walls of the device. For this purpose said top and bottom members are provided with integral apertured and threaded lugs 20, and disposed so as to be in alinement with one another when the device is in assembled relation, thereby permitting insertion of a right and left hand threaded bolt 21, therein, which, upon being turned, will serve to draw said top and bottom members toward one another, thus rigidly clamping the same upon the side walls of the device. 7 I

Fig.8 illustrates a modified form of connecting the side walls of the device to one another, and comprises complemental steel end members 22, and 23, respectively, which are riveted between the respective inner and outer plates of adjacent side walls, said member 22, being provided with a tongue 24, adapted to engage in a complemental groove in said member 23. .By this construction, the side walls are connected to one another by sliding the interfitting memhers together, and they are retained in position by the clamping of the top and bottom members thereover by the bolts associated'therewith, as illustrated in the construction shown in Fig. 7. V

The operation is as follows: It is evident from the descriptionthat whatsoever be the Copies of this patent may be obtained for method of attachment of the top and bottom members of the device, adjustment of the side walls thereof cannot be effected until said top and bottom members are each removed therefrom, and as before mentioned, such removal of said members can only be performed by the loosening of the bolts pro vided on the interior of the device. Inas much as access to the interior of the device is provided through a door 19, any unauthorized interference thereof is prevented, as the parts of the device offer no means on the exterior thereof for collapsing or dismantling the same. Inasmuch as the top and bottom members are provided with flanges extending downwardly and upwardly respectively over the upper surface of the side walls, the pintles of the hinges are amply protected and removalthereof prevented, should such a means be sought '7 to dismantle the device from the exterior. I am aware that details of construction may be varied through a wide range withinvention. I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art. I claim as my invention:

a collapsible vault disposed therein and which when assembled is too large to be out departing from the principles of this ofsaid collapsible vault for maintaining the 7 same assembled, V V

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. V JAMES J. HARRINGTON, JR.

Witnesses: 7

CHARLES W. HILLS, Jr., LEOIIM. REIBSTEIN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Baton, Washington, D. O.

' 7b The combination with a. storage vault, of 

